Guidelines for Teacher-Student Meetings

What is a teacher-student meeting?
Teachers at the Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley offer teacher-student meetings.  They are for people who are actively practicing meditation, and who would like to confer with a teacher about that practice.  Discussions may focus on specific questions about one’s meditation practice itself, concerns about the integration of practice into one’s daily life, or on an exploration of the truth as it is experienced through direct insight from meditation.

How are they scheduled?
Teacher-Student Meetings usually take place once a month or less frequently, and they are usually scheduled for a half hour. They may take place at the center, at another mutually agreed upon place, or by phone.
So that teachers can make the best use of their time, please respect these meetings (including phone meetings) as you would any other appointment - please be on time and please give at least 24 hours notification for a cancellation.

What is the fee?
Insight PV teachers offer Teacher-Student Meetings following the ancient tradition of dana, or generosity. Teachers offer the teachings without charging a fee; in turn, students make voluntary offerings to the teachers so that they may support themselves and continue to offer teachings. The dana system acknowledges our interconnectedness and interdependence, and has as its foundation our mutual generosity.

What is the difference between psychotherapy and a teacher-student meeting?
All the local teachers at Insight PV also work as psychotherapists and offer the following considerations:
• Teacher-student meetings focus on one’s formal meditation practice and how meditation is applied in one’s life.
• Emotional and psychological issues may surface in meditation practice and are addressed in a teacher interview from a mindfulness perspective.
• Psychotherapy offers a venue where one can receive more in depth support for exploring issues such as depression/anxiety, trauma, family of origin issues, decision making, relational issues, addictions, and vocational concerns.
• Teacher-student meetings should not be relied on for crisis intervention.

How do I contact a teacher?
You may contact the teachers directly to schedule an interview.

Rebecca Bradshaw
413-695-4008 or email: rebeccab@mtdata.com

Adi Bemak
413-253-9372

Jean Esther
413-586-3383

Peggy Gillespie            
413-256-1611

Mark Hart
413-259-2145

Kim Weeber            
413-587-0597 

Manny Mansbach
510-809-5670 or email: mannymans@yahoo.com